Sometimes, it’s just ironic how technology can impact our lives. Like AI, for example.
As is often the case with innovative tech, many have looked at Artificial Intelligence as a systematic way of beating the life out of our lives, replacing the warmth and emotion out of humanity with cold, austere robotics.
The “debate” in radio from the jump was about how AI might replace on-air personalities. In fact, many saw it as inevitable. It was just a matter of time before a battalion of robots would work behind the scenes doing a mechanized version of “radio” as we knew it.
In the early days, this was a big discussion here at JacoBLOG as we
covered the “AI Ashley” innovation Alpha rolled out in Portland with the transformation of voicetracker Ashley Elzinga (pictured) into bot form on the air. Somehow, Phil Becker’s innovative concept did not destroy radio as we knew it.
True, there are fewer humans in today’s radio stations than there were before the onset of COVID, but the coming of AI has had little, if anything, to do with the winnowing of the herd, policies that began to take flight at broadcast radio operations all over America well more than a decade ago.
And here we are, roughly two-and-a-half years since the release of ChatGPT to the masses, and AI has had a minimal effect on how consumers hear and advertisers use the medium that Marconi built. Yes, AI has become more a part of the background processes, having little obvious effect on the product itself.
And yet, it has provided a different look to the work radio people do. I started seeing this in dribs and drabs a few weeks ago when Chris Brunt started playing with AI facsimiles or caricatures of “real people,” interpreting them as memes that are generally fun to look at.
Like the version of Paul and me at the top of this blog, and like other cartoonish variants of our human selves, AI engines can interpret and shadow us in clever ways, creating memorable memes in the process that can be displayed and shared.
As is often the case with tech parody, the interpretations of our looks and personalities soften the edges, giving everyone a more endearing and accessible look.
We’ve seen the process of exactly how that all works with the bobbleheads craze, creating collectible versions of celebrities, sports stars, and just real, everyday people. These pint-sized versions of icons create an endearing version of our heroes.
Take the bobblehead of former WRIF superstar, Arthur Penhallow. The version you see pictured here is from an online collectibles site, WorthPoint.
Today, the technology allows us to instantly create online versions of ourselves, our airstaffs, and whoever we like. These “AI Action Figures” as Chris calls them can also include icons that provide characteristics and signatures of personalities, who they are, and what they’re into.
I noted on my socials that KCFX morning host, Lux, had already
posted her AI version of herself. I met Lux many years ago when she was a panelist for a session I moderated for the North American Broadcasters Association (NABA) in D.C.
I regard Lux as a bellwether for radio personalities and social trends. She always seems to be a step ahead of the trends. I wasn’t surprised to see her AI vision already drawing comments (pictured).
From there, it’s not a heavy lift
to start thinking about personalities on your team or in your building who would make good candidates for this treatment.
The better defined the personality, the better the AI transformation, of course. But the game we radio people play is attaching positive and memorable associations to our talent. What an easy, effective, and even memorable way to make this happen.
Our Chris Brunt has also been playing around with “trading cards” made with AI tools, as well as Lego sets. He reports there are free AI tools on ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, or Meta. These AI creations can be made with a single prompt. He’s also dreamt up several contest promotional concepts as well around these virtual action figures.
(You can reach out to Chris for details through his email here, but he also may talk to you 
about his true focus—digital revenue opportunities—not the worst conversation you can have.)
Aside from simply cutesy versions of the airstaff on your social pages or your website, there are other “apps” for these AI-fueled characterizations.
Like product placement, especially on endorsement deals already in place or being pitched. Given the customization flexibility, you can do pretty much anything you like.
In just the past few days, this meme movement has picked up steam, making its way around air studios everywhere.
We can only imagine what some listeners would do with these 🫤😂 pic.twitter.com/x1ORSTE1Ff
— Dave&ChuckTheFreak (@DaveandChuck) April 11, 2025
While many commercial radio programmers and talent are very likely cooking up ideas for their AI action figures, I’m expecting a much quieter response from the public radio community.
And yet, fans of these stations, whether they fall under the umbrella of “NPR News” or music formats like Classical or Triple AI, often revere their personalities and hosts just like all radio fans do.
Oftentimes, public radio stations are in need of a “personality bypass”—a much-needed injection of warmth and humor. While there are distinctive hosts like Kai Ryssdal from Marketplace, Ira Flatow of Science Friday, and of course, Terry Gross of Fresh Air fame, many others could use a little…well, personality.
So, imagine AI action figures of Steve Inskeep, Mary Louise Kelly, and other news anchors and journalists whose voices you hear every day on NPR, but know precious little about their personalities and interests. And of course, local talent on public radio stations all over the country might benefit from an AI-induced warmup, as counter-intuitive as that may sound.
At a time when our news feeds are full of bad news about the pope, tariffs, crashing stock markets, wars, deportations, and airplane mishaps, AI Action Figures might provide a little whimsy and even a laugh or two when we need it most.
Doomscrolling might actually be fun for a day or two.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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Great idea! I did mine a couple of weeks ago and posted it to the station FB page and my personal profile.
This overlaps with a theme that I backed into elsewhere: that it’s better to focus more on effectiveness and even experimentation than on just efficiency.
https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/stop-being-boring-how-pr-leaders-can-level-up-their-ai-game